Random Inspiration

Artificial intelligence or ‘AI’ is the future of computing. AI is a broad term for making computers act intelligently via robotics, computer science, machine learning, language processing and much more. AI is not some recent phenomenon, yet it is becoming more and more prevalent in our daily lives. Artificial intelligence really has no boundaries or limits and will be the future of computing and analytics. So basically before you know it cars will be flying, your neighbors will be robots, and machines will take over the world. Just kidding, but its more possible now than ever! Listed below are just a few ways that artificial intelligence will change the way we live.

#1 Predicting Weather

Predicting Weather: Predicting the weather can be extremely difficult and is often inaccurate. Artificial intelligence software is being created that will be able to evaluate all the available data quickly and then forecast the approaching weather. This software will do much more than let a person know whether or not they should bring an umbrella when leaving the house, but can help farmers and even prevent forest fires. The software will also be able to help with the climate change crisis and help aircraft’s avoid storms and dangerous areas. Though the software is not yet complete, within the next couple years expect to see more and more accurate predictions or the weather.

#2 Autonomous Cars

Companies like Google are already in the works on creating a fully autonomous (driver-less) car. The cars operate by having a laser radar system that is connected to a generated 3D map of the environment. The car will take in the information from the map and use its laser system to allow it to completely drive independent of any humans. Artificial intelligence is highly accurate and would remove the factor of human flaws and distractions. Though a lot of kinks still need to be figures out, more and more autonomous cars will be on the streets in the near future.

#3 Security/Military

AI is already being used to assist with national security situations as well as protect individual’s homes from burglary. Modern home alarm systems use AI to distinguish between the occupants of the home and unknown individuals. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security uses AI to help keep or country safe from terrorist threats. They use the AI software as a monitoring system that can scan phones and other communication devices to determine potential threats.

#4 Financial Services

Artificial intelligence is already very prevalent within the financial world. Already more than half of all the world’s stock trades are carried out by AI software. The software uses algorithms to spot trends and patterns with the market and helps predict price changes. The software is very accurate and has improved the returns for investors. Companies such as H&R Block have been implementing AI into their process to improve the customer experience and become more accurate with their decision making.

#5 Medical

Within the medical world Artificial intelligence is already being used, but it is getting more and more advantaged every day. It is used to help detect diseases and even heart attacks before they occur. Artificial muscles are being created that mimic the movements and functions of real muscles. Surgeons have been using robots to assist them during surgery in order to be more accurate and precise. They have even created a software that tracks individual’s health records and warns the patients and doctors of potential risk factors. As AI technology evolves many more lives will be saved and or improved.

#6 Modern Marketing

Some would say that modern marketing would be impossible without the implementation of artificial intelligence. Companies like Google and Facebook rely on AI to better target their advertisements as well as to combat fraud and hacks. These companies are able to gather data and specifically send individuals ads or content that is currently relevant to them. Because of AI these companies are able to connect personally to their consumers in real time. Without the implementation of AI in modern world you or your company will quickly fall behind and become irrelevant.

As you can see artificial intelligence is already very prominent around the world, but is becoming essential to many major jobs and operations around the world. AI can be used in all kinds of ways independent of these 6 examples. Comment below with any questions or insights regarding artificial intelligence!

We’ve all been there, staring at a blank sheet of paper or computer screen without a clue of how to tap into your inner creativity. Sure, thinking outside the box seems simple enough, but when the possibilities seem unlimited, it’s hard to know where to begin. When it comes to imaginative projects, inspiration is key. Lucky for you, we’ve got the top 5 hacks to finding the best inspiration that will boost your creativity.

#1 StumbleUpon

Creativity often comes when you least expect it, and if you’ve got time to kill (i.e your project doesn’t have a fast approaching deadline), this website is the perfect place to start. StumbleUpon works by introducing you to random websites that fit your interest. These sites can feature anything from photography and design to science and math. Once you’ve filtered your search to a specific category, simply press the stumble button, sit back, and enjoy as you browse through a plethora of websites that are suited to inspire and encourage discovery.

#2 Pinterest

Believe it or not Pinterest has a lot more to offer than just wedding mood boards and “mom crafts”. It’s an excellent resource for all things DIY, artistic, and creative. Use key words to search through dozens of articles and tutorials posted by local artists, self-taught crafters and even expertise businesses. Better yet, save your findings in categorized folders for future projects.

#3 Behance

There’s no denying that hobbyists and bloggers can teach you a thing or two, but if you want to learn from the best, Behance is the website for you. Behance features the top photographers, artists, and designers who are breaking new ground in their industry. It showcases innovative portfolio pieces from a variety of mediums to inspire experimentation and curate popular creative trends. Behance users can interact on the site by following their favorite artists, liking posts, and even contributing their own work (once the creative block is conquered).

#4 Instructables

Creative inspiration comes a lot easier once you’ve expanded your skills and hand-on abilities. That’s where the website Instructables comes in. This site boosts creativity through DIY tutorials that show you how to make everything from anything. Whether it’s a glass bottle chandelier, a paper doll house, or homemade biscuits, Instructables has tutorials it all. Search for specific ideas or browse through their endless feed of projects to find inspiration in the most unexpected places.

#5 Designspiration

Like Instagram for all things design, this website is great resource for finding visual inspiration. If your creative block is partnered with a dash of boredom, then Designspiration is a great place to start. The feed features a wide variety of design work all in one feed, so it’s an invaluable resource for finding photographic, illustrative, and stylistic inspiration.

Mobility is a movement that is not going anywhere any time soon and with our current focus on entertainment (because of the Olympics, obviously) we realized that the easiest way to seek entertainment is in fact, on our smartphones. So, we put together a list of the newest entertainment apps developed and in development that we are currently excited about. Recommended use: outside of the office.

Travel By Drone – A collection of drone-generated masterpieces grant intrigued viewers the opportunity to search and explore the world by video. Get an aerial perspective of popular views and destinations from Boulder Beach, Australia to Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. Truly embark on the world’s most mystifying views all from your smartphone.

North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii.

Anchor FM – Do you find yourself talking about hydrangeas, Pilates, car restoration, or Yoda for hours on end? If you said yes to any of the above, chances are your friends are getting pretty annoyed hearing about your obsession – BUT – it’s possible the podcast community is interested! Anchor is an iOS app for recording, sharing, and listening to short audio clips or mini podcasts. Not only can users start conversations, but also contribute to them. So go ahead, your global audience about Yoda’s endeavors, you can educate.

Buttered Popcorn and Surround Sound – You know better than anyone else what you like, but what if there was an app to measure your movie interests? Before anyone gets any ideas, I have to stop you – There is an app and it’s called Taste! Taste is a movie recommendation engine that suggests films based on how your personalized calculations relate to the ratings of other movie-goers curiously “similar” to you. Expect the app to be released later this year, until then please continue to aimlessly guess which movie to see.

Time to Upgrade from Microsoft Paint– Tayasui’s Memopad is the quickest, freshest digital notepad equipped with 9 tools for doodling, drawing, painting, sketching, and more! Doodlers can create masterpieces and then easily share on any social network. Interested? The app is compatible with any iOS-equipped device, so get ready to become the next digital van Gogh!

That Can Only Mean One thing – Yes, it’s time for a [fun] one! Apparently Drake has his own search engine…and yes, it is exactly what you’d expect it to be. “Let me Drake that for you” allows users to search anything and reveal how it relates to Drake. If anyone has heard of anything more absurd, please let us know!

We hope you found your daily dose of entertainment, check back next time for another edition of FLIRTcasting!

How is it already August? Welcome to a month of sticky humidity, beach vacations, farmer’s markets, and…national s’mores day! Everyone mark your calendars, August 10th, for this very important celebration. This week we’re not only inspired by s’mores (duh) but we are also excited about progressive technology, so we’ve compiled some of this year’s latest and greatest gadgets to come:

No More Ink Cartridges! – The Renegade 3D-Printing Pen works by recycling plastic bottles, containers, and bags. It is the first of its kind, an eco-friendly 3D printer that liquefies plastic, producing a molten gel that cools down forming a solid frame.

Cool Pics. No Really, Cool Pix! – Nikon recently announced the novel Coolpix W100 digital camera, the perfect gadget for families with young children or just clumsy people in general! Brightly colored, this camera is dust-proof, waterproof, shockproof, cold-resistant, and it even has wireless sharing capabilities! So when you manage to get marshmallow stuck to the camera, it won’t be an issue.

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s an Amazon Drone – Amazon Prime Air will employ small, unmanned aerial vehicles (AKA Drones)
to deliver packages to customers in 30 minutes or less. You’re probably thinking, where are we going to keep these drones? In Amazon’s Patent Docking Stations, of course! Said stations may be found anywhere from cell towers to your neighborhood’s streetlights…comforting, right?

Nintendo’s Mini Powerhouse – Who here’s a gamer? Let’s be real, everyone has a little bit of “gamer” in them. The Retro-Bit Generations takes over 100 classic NES games from the arcades of our childhoods and packs ‘em into one mini system. The Retro-Bit connects to the TV and comes with two old-school controllers. It’s time to restore that old gaming rivalry you once had with your older brother.

Ah, finally. The best for last!

I’ll Race Ya – Why use your legs when you can easily ride your luggage throughout the airport? The Modobag is a carry-on suitcase with an internal 150-watt electric motor and battery that reaches 8mph. Think it’s too good to be true? Well, its battery also doubles as a USB charger for smart phones, tablets, and laptops. What more could you want from a suitcase?

Wasn’t that fun? Remember, at the core of any technological idea is creativity, so it’s okay to think a little differently. Check back next time for another edition of FLIRTcasting!

National Ice Cream Day is Sunday, July 17th! FLIRT decided this is a holiday we definitely couldn’t miss so we came up with the idea of making our own #FLIRTsundae, complete with FLIRTY oranges and more! This sundae is simple to make and tastes amazing, so get your ingredients together and create our #FLIRTsundae with us:

Ingredients:

2 Large Oranges

48 FL OZ (1.42 L) of French Vanilla Ice Cream

6.5 OZ Original Reddi Wip Cream

Blue Sprinkles

Step 1: Slice and Divide

Using a kitchen knife, slice the orange in half

Place ½ off to the side for later

Step 2: Gut the Orange!

Continue to cut along the inside of the orange to leave behind just the peel

Use a spoon to scoop out any remaining citrus

Step 3: Get Ready to Scoop!

Scoop 1 to 2 spoonful’s of ice cream into the remaining orange peel

Step 4: The Final Touches

Shake up the whip cream and layer it on top of the ice cream

Finally, sprinkle on the sugar!

Step 5: Bring on the Embellishments!
Remember that remaining half of orange? Well, let’s put it to good use in one of two ways!

Cut 1 to 2 slices and drive a popsicle stick through the center to anchor it into the orange peel

Use the entire half as an umbrella for your sundae – Anchor it to the orange peel the same way you would in choice 1

Voila! There you have it – the perfect #FLIRTsundae! If you happen to make your own sundae make sure to share with us by using the hashtag, #FLIRTsundae

Thanks to our talented interns, Kam and Paige for concocting this delicious treat!